Transcript Poverty Rates in Indiana

Poverty Rates in Indiana
An very brief IBRC Economic Brief
September 13, 2011
US Census Bureau Estimates
Indiana Poverty Rates 1980 to 2010
Fact: severe recessions in the early 1980s, 1990s and the late 2000s brought higher
rates of poverty to our population. The most recent recession has exacerbated
Indiana’s situation because of slower hiring and the housing crisis. Bars in red
highlight rates of 15% or higher.
18
16.1
14
12.6
12
10
8
13.7
12.9
12
12.7
11.1
9.7
16.1 16.3
15.7
16
10.1
13
14.3
13.7
12.6
11.8 12.2
11.8
11.6
9.6
8.8
7.5
9.4
8.7
6.7
6
4
2
0
Source: IBRC using US Census Bureau CPS data
8.5
9.1
9.9
10.6
Variation Among Estimates
CPS is the Current Population Survey, and up until recently, data published for states included a 1-year estimate plus 2year and 3-year averages. The 2010 release published only the 1-year estimate, which is based on a 60,000 household
sample nationwide.
The ACS is the American Community Survey, an annual “long form” that samples 3 million households nationwide. The
ACS publishes 1-year, 3-year and 5-year estimates.
CPS 1-Yr. Estimate
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
CPS 3-yr avg.
13.7
9.6
7.5
8.8
9.4
6.7
8.7
8.5
9.1
9.9
11.6
12.6
10.6
11.8
14.3
16.1
16.3
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
ACS 1-Yr. Estimates
12.6
11.8
10.3
8.6
8.6
8.3
8.3
7.9
8.7
9.2
10.2
11.4
11.6
11.7
12.3
14.1
na
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
10.9
10.6
10.8
12.2
12.7
12.3
13.1
14.4
na
Differences matter
• Poverty rates vary, sometimes significantly,
between the different versions of Census
estimates.
• For example, the American Community Survey
estimates show rates at 1.2 and 1.7
percentage points lower than the CPS for the
years 2008 and 2009.
What to Use
• Data users generally want the most current
information, but they also want the most
accurate (which is sometimes difficult to
determine, but in general larger sample sizes
improve accuracy).
• Usage should depend on the purpose – whether
applying for a grant, writing a news story (where
current is always seen as better), or creating a
trend line to determine whether Indiana has a
long-term problem.
Contact IBRC – The Census Data Center
• Feel free to contact us for more information
by emailing us at [email protected] or calling
317.274.2979 or 812.855.5507.